Flag-bearing Guard To Be At City Events * Easton Police Formed Unit For Parades, Funerals.

June 03, 1998|by JOE NIXON, The Morning Call

Easton police have formed a new unit, but this group won't be fighting crime.

The job of the new police honor guard, however, is not unimportant. The group, whose debut at Easton's Memorial Day parade was rained out, is set to step off this weekend at the West Easton Centennial parade. The unit also will attend police funerals.

About 15 officers have volunteered to be part of the honor guard, although it takes just seven or eight to make up the group at a public function.

Easton Detective Tony Storm, an Army veteran, has been spearheading the honor guard formation since last year, along with police union President Anthony Cappellano. The idea for the guard came from Storm and the union. The $3,800 cost to make it a reality was split between the union and the city.

Storm said he always wanted to form an honor guard. In the past, when officers were needed for funeral duty, a call had to be put out for volunteers. With the new group, officers will be familiar with parade and funeral procedures.

According to Storm and Cappellano, the honor guard will feature four officers carrying the U.S., state, city and police union flags, two officers carrying rifles and one carrying a saber.

Storm, who had honor guard training at Fort Carson, Colo., said few of the volunteers have military training. "I got a lot of volunteers. I was surprised," Storm said. "A lot of them aren't veterans either."